The Frozen Tarn (1940)
Photo: Courtesy of Waddington's Auctioneers and Appraisers, Toronto      
© Waddington's Auctioneers and Appraisers, Toronto

The Frozen Tarn

1940

Vincent Massey was the Canadian High Commissioner to Britain during WW2, and later became the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada. He was also an art collector, and took a close interest in the activities of the both the Canadian and British war artists. Richard's set of Dunkirk pictures painted in 1940 were done speculatively before he was taken on as a official war artist, so he had to try to sell them through the Redfern gallery. Massey bought the biggest of them, Dunkirk Beaches, May 1940 (1940), at the 1941 exhibition, along with Staithes, Yorkshire (1938).

Mrs Massey bought 'The Frozen …

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Vincent Massey was the Canadian High Commissioner to Britain during WW2, and later became the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada. He was also an art collector, and took a close interest in the activities of the both the Canadian and British war artists. Richard's set of Dunkirk pictures painted in 1940 were done speculatively before he was taken on as a official war artist, so he had to try to sell them through the Redfern gallery. Massey bought the biggest of them, Dunkirk Beaches, May 1940 (1940), at the 1941 exhibition, along with Staithes, Yorkshire (1938).

Mrs Massey bought 'The Frozen Tarn' from that same show. The picture depicts the tarn or small lake on the edge of Ilkley Moor in Yorkshire, not far from where Richard lived in the early 1920s.

Provenance

EXHIBITED | 6th May to 10th Aug 1940

"Summer Exhibition 1940" - Royal Academy of Arts, London

Cat 43

EXHIBITED | 12th Mar to 5th Apr 1941

"Richard Eurich" - Redfern Gallery, London

Cat 10; priced at 25 guineas

ACQUIRED | 1941

bought from the Redfern Gallery by Mrs V. Massey

AUCTIONED | 2nd Dec 2008

"International Art", Waddington's, Toronto, Canada

lot 147; price realised $21,600 including buyer's premium

WITH | [unknown date]

The Fine Art Society

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Provenance:

  • ACQUIRED - 1941 - bought from the Redfern Gallery by Mrs V. Massey
  • AUCTIONED - 2nd Dec 2008 - "International Art", Waddington's, Toronto, Canada
    lot 147; price realised $21,600 including buyer's premium

Exhibitions:

  • 6th May to 10th Aug 1940 - "Summer Exhibition 1940", Royal Academy of Arts, London
    Cat 43
  • 12th Mar to 5th Apr 1941 - "Richard Eurich", Redfern Gallery, London
    Cat 10; priced at 25 guineas

Notes:

  • [unknown date] - WITH
    The Fine Art Society

Related  

Ice Skating (1928)

Image © The Collector

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References:

  • Bridgeman Images [Art and media image library] [view image]